Speaking tube apparatus



May 19, 1931. J. M. CLIFFORD 1,805,465

SPEAKING TUBE APPARATUS Filed May 20. 1929 Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED srAres mm m". armour, or rBov-iniificn, 'nnobiz :smb

s'rEI ING iroien Arimmros Application flied May 20, 1929. Serial no. 364,562.

This invention relates to improvements in speaking tube apparatus for doors, walls or other partitions and has for its principal objectthe provision of a device adapted to be applied to such a partition whereby oral communication. may be had between persons on opposite sides of said partition, but whereby the passage through the device of material objects 0 any considerable size is pre- 16 vented.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a speaking tube device for partitions which can be disassembled and removedfrom the partition only from one side 18 thereof.

.Another object of this invention is the provision of a device of this description which is provided with a closure which can only be" opened from one side of'the partition.-

This invention further contemplates a device of this class which comprises two circularr'nouth pieces, one on each side of the partition, fitted into the ends of a cylindrical opening drilled or otherwise formed through the partition, the outer one of these mouth pieces being provided with, a pivoted cover plate which is receivedv within .a depressed annular seat formed in the mouth piece. This cover plate is fixed at its pivot point to the '80 end of an actuatingrod which extends through the mouth pieces and the opening and is sodisposed as to prevent rotation of the mouth pieces within the opening; The cover plate is constantly urged in a direction toward the mouth piece by means of. a spring and is thus retained in its fully closed position within its seat in the mouth piece; Also, byreason of.

this spring device, the cover plate is retained against the action of gravity in any desired 49 open position by its, pressure against a portion of the mouth piece.

It is also within the purview of this invention to provide inner and outer mouth pieces for aspeaking tube device which are inter- 45 changeable and which are provided with perforated screens integrally formed therewith, Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanyingv drawings, in which is shown one form of the invention applied to a door by way ofexample:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of the inner side of a door to which the speaking tube apparatus is applied;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevation ofthe device as seen from the outside of the door-with the cover plate in its closed position, an open position of the cover plate being shown in broken lines; and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-"3 of Fig. 1, in which the cover plate is in its closed position, its fully opened position being shown in broken lines.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the speaking tube device, indicated generally by the numeralrlo, is shown applied to the frame 11 of a door 12. This is a view of the device as seen from the inside of the building or apartment to which the door 12 provides ac-' cess. The inner mouth piece 13 and the outer mouth piece 14 are identical in construction, not only so as to be interchangeable and easi- 1y duplicated, but to provide a simple device which can be easily manufactured in quantity at a comparatively low cost. These mouth pieces are provided with annular flanges 15 which fit snugly within the ends of the opening 16 which is bored through the door frame 11, and are connected by means of a bolt .17 having a plain smooth pin head 18 at one end and a nut 19 applied to the threaded portion 20 at the other end. This threaded portion 20 extends for some distance along thebolt so as to provide means for adjusting the nut upon the bolt to adapt the device to be applied to doors orp'artitions of difiering thicknesses. The connecting bolt 17 passes through the centers of the screen portions 21 of the mouth pieces. This screen portion 21 is integrally formed with the mouth piece and is provided with an annular series of perforations 22 adapted for the passage of sound therethrough, but being small enough te, prevent the passage of material objects of anyconsiderable size.

Each mouth piece has a seat 23, formed on the outer side thereof which is surrounded by the flange or rim 24. The coverplate 25 is adapted to fit Within the rim 24 and be which is threaded into an opening 27 located near the upper edge of the cover plate, passes through the openings 28 in the ledges 29 of the mouth pieces and is disposed for free rotation within the groove 30 which is cut in the wall of the door opening 16 at its upper side.

The other end of the rod 26 is threaded as at 31 for the reception of a knob 32 which is provided with the roughened surface 33 adapted for ready manipulation in operatin the cover plate.

%urrounding the rod 26 and disposed between the knob 32 and the ledge 29 of the i11 ner mouth piece 13is the coil spring 34, which, as may be readily perceived by an inspection of F ig- 3, is adapted to constantly urge the rod 26 with its attached cover plate 25 toward the inner side of the door, thus seating the cover plate firmly within the rim 24 and against the seat 23. The height of the rim 24 is at least equal to the thickness of the cover plate 25, and, there being little or no clearance between the rim 24 and the margin of the cover plate when in its closed position, it is impossible for the cover plate to be removed by the use of any ordinarily available means from a position on the outside of the door..

vRotation of the mouth pieces within the ends of the opening 16 is prevented by the positioning of the rod 26,-passing through bothmouth pieces, within the groove 30 in a manner somewhat analogous to keying a shaft to a gear or other machine element which is to rotate with said shaft. I

a To open the device, the rod 26. is pushed outwardly against the pressure of the spring 34 until the cover plate clears the rimf24, and then itis rotated to any desired position,

where it will remain when the rod is released, I

due to the spring pressure of the plate against thoseportionsof the outersurface of the rim 241upon which it may rest. e

' The threaded portion 310i the rod 26 extends for some distance along the rod so that the knob 32 maybeadjusted upon the rod in a similar manner to the'adjustment of the bolt 17 and the'nutlE), and for a like purpose. Having thusdescribed the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured 'by LettersPatent is:

1; A speaking tube device forpartitions, in combination, interchangeable inner and outer mouth pieces-having shoulders adapted to fit securely into the ends of an opening through the partition, and a bolt passing centrally through the mouth pieces and provided with a nut adjustable on the bolt whereby the device is adapted'to'fit partitions of various thicknesses. r

' "2. A speaking tube device iorpartitions,

comprising in combination, a mouth piece having a centrally located perforated screen transversely pivoted cover plate for said mouth piece, means adapted to be actuated only from the opposite side of the partition to move said cover plate on its pivot to uncover said mouth piece. i

5. In a speaking tube device for partitions, a mouth piecedisposed at one side of saidgpar 'tition, and provided with a depressed seat adapted to receive a coverplate, means operable only from the other side oflsaid partition to move said cover plate outwardly of the partition from said seat and then to move it so as to uncover said mouth piece. I

6. In a speaking tube device for partitions, a mouth piece disposed at one side of said partition, and provided with a depressed annular seat, a pivoted cover plate adapted to be received within said seat, an operating rod passing through the partition and the mouth piece, attached to said cover plate, and forming a pivot therefor. .7 i 1 7. The device according to claim6, in which the operating rod is provided with a threaded head which is adjustable upon said rod, whereby means are provided for adjusting the effective length of said rod to fit parti- 7 plate against the resistanceof a spring, and

for moving it so as to uncover said mouth piece.

9. In a speaking tube device, in combination, apartition provided with an opening therethrough, thewall of said-opening being substantially cylindrical and provided with a groove passing from end to end thereof, a

mouth piece having a'flange adapted to fit within one end of said opening, a rod passing through the partition and said mouth piece and disposed within said groove whereby rotation of said mouth piece within the end of said opening is prevented. g I

10. In a speaking tube--clevice,'in combination, a' partition provided with an opening therethrough, the walls of said opening 'being substantially cylindrical and provided with a groove passing from'end to en'dthere of, mouth pieces provided with flanges adapted to fit within the ends'of theop'ening, a bolt passing axially through the opening and the plate can be operated only from said opposite mouth pieces, and provided at its end which side of said partition.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my is toward the outer side of the partition with a smooth rounded head, and at its other end with a threaded nut, whereby said mouth pieces are fastened together and their removal, except from the inner side of said partition, is prevented, a rod passing through the mouth pieces near the edges thereof and disposed within said groove, whereby rotation of said mouth pieces is prevented.

11. In a speaking tube device, in combination, a partition having an opening extending therethrough, the walls of said opening being substantially cylindrical and provided with a groove passing from end to end thereof, inner and outer mouth pieces provided with depressed perforated central portions fitted into the ends of said opening and connected by a bolt passing centrally through the mouth pieces and said opening, the outer mouth piece being provided with a depressed annular seat, a cover plate adapted normally to be received in said seat and forming an adjustable closure for the speaking tube device, a cover actuating rod passing through said mouth pieces near the edges thereof,'disposed within said groove, and having its outer end fixed to said cover plate, said actuating rod provided with a knob on its inner end, a coiled compression spring surrounding said rod and disposed between the inner mouth piece and said knob, whereby the rod is urged in a direction toward the inner side of said partition and the cover plate is retained in its closed position and in any of its adjusted opened positions, and whereby rotation of said mouth pieces is prevented.

12. In a speaking tube device for partitions, a mouth piece disposed at oneside of said partition and provided with a depressed annular seat, a cover plate adapted to be received upon said seat, means for bodily raising said plates from said seat and for rotating said cover plate so as to uncover said mouth piece, and spring means for retaining the cover plate in removed position.

13. In a speaking tube device for partitions, a mouth piece disposed at one sidejof said partition, a depressed annular seat formed upon said mouth piece, a transversely pivoted cover plate adapted to be received Within said seat, an operating rod passing through said partition and having one end operatively connected to said cover plate, and means upon the opposite end of said rod for manually actuating said rod, whereby said cover plate may be positioned upon or removed from said seat from the opposite side of said partition.

14. The combination set forth in claim 13 in which said cover plate is fitted snugly within said seat and said seat is provided with an outer face which is flush with the outer surface of said cover plate, whereby said cover signature.

JOHN M. CLIFFORD. 

